Til the End of the Line
by madman-with-an-impala
Summary: The soldier must try to keep the target from reaching the fire swamp, but is overwhelmed by new memories. Princess Bride AU. A one shot for now, by more may be added.


The soldier stands on the top of a very steep, grassy hillside. A path lies at the bottom of the hill, leading to the fire swamp. The soldier must complete his mission and eliminate the target before the target reaches that path.

As the soldier watches the target slowly approach, a flicker of recognition sparks in his mind. Something about the target's uniform and shield seems familiar, but the soldier pushes the thought away. He is a weapon and weapons do not think. Thinking would only distract the soldier from his mission.

"Please Bucky," the target begs. He is now standing only a few feet away from the soldier. The name used tiggers another flash of recognition, but once again the soldier shoves it aside. Now is not the time for him to be distracted with useless thoughts. The target pauses for a moment before speaking again. "Please don't make me do this." It's obvious the target doesn't want to fight the soldier, but he will if necessary.

The soldier stays where he stands at the top of the grassy hillside. He doesn't move while the target speaks to him. The soldier simply waits for the target to be done so he can complete his mission. What the target says to the soldier doesn't matter. All that matters is that the soldier completes his mission. If the target doesn't want to fight then that just makes the soldier's mission easier.

The soldier suddenly pulls out a small gun and fires two shots which the target easily deflects off his shield. It isn't until the soldier charges at the target that he is reluctantly forced to engage. The soldier and the target fight for several minutes and luckily they manage to stay on top of the hillside. One misstep could send the soldier or the target on a painful tumble down the steep hill.

As they fight, more recognition and memories flash through the soldier's mind. But he is a weapon and weapons don't think. So the soldier tries to push back the onrush of memories, but he can't stop the tide. Sharp pain courses through the soldier's head as more and more memories come forward. These memories distract the soldier from his mission and makes it difficult for him to focus.

The soldier knows the target. But how? HYDRA created and controls the soldier. When would the soldier have met the target before? Had they met on a previous mission? Maybe. But there is a sense of closeness, of intimacy, that wouldn't come from a mission alone. And if they had met on a previous mission, why was the target still alive? Confusion and uncertainty fill the soldier's mind.

The soldier is almost thankful for the hard hit to his jaw which helps him refocus on his mission. The target is off balance after hitting him and the soldier uses this to his advantage. He charges the target and they both go crashing to the ground. All the confusion and uncertainty these new memories are bringing turn to rage and the soldier repeatly punches the target in the face. But the target doesn't fight back. He simply lays there and takes the punches.

It should be a simple task for the soldier. His mission is incapacitated. All the soldier must do now is finish the job. There are countless ways for him to do so, yet the soldier hesistates. Something is telling the soldier not to kill the target. He freezes, the soldier's solid body still straddling the target's large form. This has never happened to the soldier before and more pain courses through his head.

"I'm your friend," the target says. The soldier is distracted and could easily be beaten, but the target just lies there. The target's avoidance of fighting only brings the soldier more confusion and therefore, more pain.

"You're my mission!" The soldier screams, grabbing the man's, no the target's, throat with his metal hand. It would be so easy to for the soldier to end him right now. All he would have to do is squeeze and then he could go back to his handlers. They could deal with all these new memories and thoughts, help the soldier get them out of his head. It would be so easy, but something screams at him not to do it.

"Then finish it." The man, no the target, is speaking again and the soldier struggles to hear the words over the voices inside his head. "I won't fight you Bucky, cause I'm your friend and I'm with you—" The man sounds calm as he speaks, but the soldier can't take it anymore. He is overwhelmed, drowning in the flood of memories. His pounding head and incoming memories are too much. With a guttural scream, the soldier releases the man and throws him down the steep hillside. "Til the end of the line," the man says loudly as he rolls down the grassy hillside, but the words slowly get quieter as he rolls farther down the hill. The man does not making any effort to slow his descent.

The soldier recognizes the phrase and suddenly all the memories click back into place. He remembers everything.

"Jesus, Steve," Bucky mutters, shaking his head. He slowly starts picking his way down the steep hill after his friend. "Always has to be so dramatic."

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own The Princess Bride or Marvel!

A/N: This is just a plotbunny that came to me after seeing some work on DeviantART. I may or may not add more, it really just depends on if I'm feeling inspired. Feedback helps me get inspires btw ;)


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